1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to cleats for use with athletic shoes worn on turf and other surfaces. In particular, the present invention pertains to improvements in the golf cleat disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,860 (referred to herein as “my '860 patent”).
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In my aforesaid '860 patent there is disclosed a removable cleat for use with an athletic shoe for providing traction to a user on a turf surface without damaging the turf surface, and also providing traction on hard surfaces, carpeting and other flooring without damaging that flooring. That removable cleat comprises a hub having a first or upper side facing the shoe sole and a second or bottom side facing away from the shoe sole. A hub attachment means extends from the first side for attaching the hub to one of the plural attachment means located on or in the shoe sole. Plural traction elements extend outward and downward in cantilevered fashion from the hub periphery, each traction element having a turf-engaging portion projecting away from the bottom side of the hub for engagement with turf blades to provide traction without puncturing turf. The traction element is resiliently deflectably attached to the hub so that the turf-engaging portion deflects upward toward the shoe sole at a location beyond the hub periphery when it encounters a hard surface under load, thereby minimizing wear of the turf-engaging portion of the traction element by the hard surface. The relatively broad and substantially flat outward surface of the traction element tends to trap grass blades against the sole of the shoe to enhance traction. Although effective to provide traction, the spreading out of the traction elements results in a relatively large area of the shoe sole being dedicated to a single cleat. In addition, the spreading action places the traction element under tension which limits the life of the element since the tension forces tend to try to tear the element at its root.
Thus, where the traction elements of the cleat of my aforesaid '860 patent spread open under load, beyond the hub periphery, the traction elements of the present invention close or fold over onto or toward one another in gripping grass blades between them, or against the hub, to effect the desired traction. In addition, the traction elements of the present invention are compressed under load, rather than being placed under tension, thereby minimizing the tendency of the element to rip or tear during use.